Mercedes Benz

OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Stuttgart, Germany, Mar 03, 2009

Model range: Offering added value and meeting individual customer requirements: The new E-Class is in a class of its own

* Position: The best-established and most successful business saloon

* Model range: Five diesels, five petrol models and three all-wheel-drive models

* Individuality: Choice of two design and equipment lines as well as

* Sport package and Exclusive package

* Optional extras: Safety and comfort technology available in package form

With the launch of the new E-Class, Mercedes-Benz is continuing a success story which is without parallel in the luxury-class car segment: Since 1947, when the Model 170 V was introduced as the direct forerunner of the E-Class, the Stuttgart-based automaker has produced more than ten million saloons in this vehicle category. In 2002 alone, some 1.3 million drivers chose the E-Class, whose market share of up to 40 percent makes it the top seller in this market segment in Germany and many other countries in Western Europe.


But as well as being by far the best-established and most successful business
saloon, the E-Class is the "heart" of the Mercedes brand - it is the typical Mercedes-Benz. No other model reflects the core values of the brand as precisely as the E-Class: safety, comfort, environmental compatibility, design, quality and individuality.

The new E-Class represents another major advance by Mercedes-Benz in all these fields as the saloon marks the series-production debut of a series of innovative technical features which cannot be found in any other car in this vehicle category - from the drowsiness detection system to automatic emergency braking when an accident is imminent, from Adaptive Highbeam Assist to the Active Bonnet with its reversible actuation mechanism, from the air suspension with electronically controlled damping to the trend-setting BlueTEC exhaust aftertreatment system.

Mercedes-Benz is also offering the saloon as a specially protected E-Guard model. This is mainly distinguishable from the standard model by a network of intelligently conceived protective features of special steel, which are invisibly integrated beneath the otherwise identical body. This protective cocoon also includes all-round polycarbonate glazing. Accordingly the new E-Guard Saloon offers its occupants effective protection against the increasing worldwide risk of criminal attack in the street. With this new Guard model, Mercedes-Benz is continuing its eight decades of expertise in the design and production of special protection vehicles.

Along with innovation, individuality has always been one of the outstanding characteristics of the E-Class. And the new saloon is no exception: For example, the model range comprises ten engines, two drive concepts and three suspension variants. Further scope for individual configuration exists in the choice of two design and equipment lines, twelve wheel/tyre combinations in 16, 17, 18 or 19-inch size, twelve exterior paint finishes and six different seat upholstery materials in up to five colour combinations . The choice of interior trim has been doubled versus the preceding series, with the range now including high-gloss exotic wood, open-pored wood and aluminium.

The standard-equipment version is complemented by two design and equipment lines which form the basis for the individualisation of the E-Class. These lines emphasise the outstanding characteristics of the new Mercedes model and offer drivers scope for adjusting the car's appearance and equipment in line with their personal tastes and lifestyle.

Standard equipment: Safety and comfort features expanded significantly

As well as incorporating the perennial core values of the E-Class, such as comfort, safety and style, the standard-equipment version includes the following items as standard:

Adaptive airbags for driver and front passenger
Adaptive brake lights, flashing
Active Bonnet with reversible actuation mechanism
Anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Connector for external audio device
Electrically adjustable and heated exterior mirrors
Selector lever for automatic transmission on steering wheel (V6 and V8 models)
Audio 20 CD radio with twin tuner, CD player and eight loudspeakers
Controller
Brake Assist
ADAPTIVE BRAKE system with Hold function and Hill Start Assist
Direct-Steer system (V6 and V8 models)
Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) with acceleration skid control (ASR)
DIRECT CONTROL suspension with adaptive damping control
Colour display in dashboard
Five-speed automatic transmission (E 250 CDIand E 250 CGI)
Belt tensioners and belt force limiters for outer rear seats
Belt tensioners and belt force limiters for driver and front passenger
Ventilated glove compartment
Remote boot lid unlocking
LED rear lights
ISOFIX child-seat attachment points
THERMATIC automatic climate control with combined activated charcoal filter
THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control (E 500 and E 500 4MATIC)
Kneebag for driver
NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints
Light-alloy wheels
AIRMATIC air suspension (E 500 and E 500 4MATIC)
ATTENTION ASSIST drowsiness detection system
Multifunction steering wheel in nappa leather with chrome inserts
PRE-SAFE®anticipatory occupant protection
Tyrepressure loss warning system
Shift/selector lever in nappa leather
Windscreen wipers with intermittent setting and rain sensor
Six-speed manual transmission
Sidebags for driver and front passenger
7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission (V6 and V8 models)
Daytime driving lights
Bluetooth hands free system for telephone
Cruise control
Front seats electrically adjustable for height, inclination and backrest angle
Green-tinted windows all round
Windowbags
Central locking with crash sensor
High-gloss eucalyptus wood trim elements

AVANTGARDE: A contemporary character with its own front design

In AVANTGARDE guise, the E-Class has a distinctly contemporary and innovative look as a result of additional appointments and equipment, such as...

17-inch five-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels
Ambient lighting
Bi-xenon headlamps with Intelligent Light System
Waistline trim strip in polished stainless steel
245/45 R 17 wide-base tyres
Chrome trim strips on sides and rear bumper
Sporty front bumper
Automatically dimming interior mirror
Special interior colours: chestnut brown and natural beige with black roof lining
Instrument cluster in bright silver with sporty tubular design
LED daytime driving lights
Combined fabric/ARTICO man-made leather upholstery
Headlamp cleaning system
Seats with padded horizontal piping
Sporty, lowered suspension set-up
Chromed radiator grille with three louvres painted in high-gloss black
All-LED tail lights
Trim elements in black high-gloss ash wood (optional: brushed aluminium)

ELEGANCE: A stylish presence with extensive use of chrome

The ELEGANCE line (standard for E 500 and E 500 4MATIC) lives up to its name by emphasising the elegant, classic character of the E-Class -- with the following additions to the standard equipment, for example:

16-inch ten-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels
Ambient lighting
Wide-base tyres: 225/55 R 16 or 245/R 17 (for V8 models)
Chrome trim strips on front bumper, sides and rear bumper
Front bumper with black air intake and chrome trim strips
Automatically dimming interior mirror
Chromed radiator grille with four louvres painted in silver
Seats with longitudinal piping pattern
Trim elements in brown high-gloss burr walnut wood

AMG sports package: Exclusivity on 18-inch wheels

In addition to the design and equipment lines, the AMGsports package offers customers further scope for equipping the new E-Class in line with their personal tastes while adding emphasis to the dynamic character of the saloon. The package contains high-quality features, most of which are not available separately. For example:

18-inch five-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels
Wide-base tyres: 245/40 R 18 (front) and 265/35 R 18 (rear)
Larger brake discs
Nappa leather three-spoke sports steering wheel with shift paddles
Floor mats with AMGlettering
Perforated brake discs and brake callipers featuring the Mercedes logo
Shift paddles on steering wheel (if automatic transmission is fitted)
Black fabric roof lining
7G-TRONIC seven-speed automatic transmission with M programme
(V6 and V8 models)
Lowered sports suspension
Brushed stainless steel sports pedals with black rubber studs
Front sports seats in DINAMICA microfibre and ARTICO man-made leather
AMG front and rear aprons and side skirts
Exclusive package: Sheer indulgence for drivers
For particularly discerning drivers, Mercedes-Benz has put together the
Exclusive package which includes:
Velour floor mats in appointments colour with nubuck border
Wood steering wheel
Roof lining, sun visors and pillar trim in Alcantara
High-quality dashboard finish with decorative stitching
Seat upholstery, armrests and door panels in nappa leather

Equipment packages: Combinations of safety and comfort technology

No other car offers such a comprehensive and intelligently matched array of advanced driver assistance systems as the new E-Class. To allow drivers to enjoy the benefits of these technologies to the full, Mercedes-Benz offers certain inno-vative features as optional packages. This approach ensures that the systems operate perfectly together and complement each other's functionality:

- The Lane Tracking package contains newly developed features which support the driver by helping to prevent accidental lane departure and aiding safe lane changing: Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist.

- The principal systems which Mercedes-Benz offers in the Driving Assistance package are designed to make an active contribution to avoiding head-to-tail collisions: the radar-based DISTRONIC PLUS proximity control system, Brake Assist PLUS and the PRE-SAFE® Brake automatic braking system. This package also includes Lane Keeping Assist and Blind Spot Assist.

- Mercedes-Benz has put together the Light package for drivers who are often on the road at night. Along with bi-xenon headlamps, the Intelligent Light System and LED daytime driving lights this package includes the new Adaptive Highbeam Assist function.

- The new E-Class offers comfort-conscious customers the Active Multicontour Seat package, containing the newly developed multicontour seats with massage and dynamic function. Mercedes-Benz offers the multicontour seats with adjustable seat cushion length and side bolster support in the Multicontour Seat package.

- The Rear Comfort package includes leather-upholstered luxury individual rear seats for the rear passengers, luxury head restraints, roller sunblinds integrated in the rear doors and an electrically operated roller blind on the interior of the rear window.

- The Memory package offers electrically adjustable seats with 4-way lumbar supports for the driver and front passenger as well as a memory function for the seats, exterior mirrors and steering column.

- The Mirror package consists of automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors as well as electrically folding exterior mirrors.

- The Sun Protection package contains an electrically operated roller sunblind for the rear window, manually operated roller sunblinds in the rear doors and luxury, two-part folding sun visors for the driver and front passenger.

- The KEYLESS-GO package consists of the KEYLESS-GO automatic vehicle unlocking functionality and remote boot closing.

- The Anti-Theft Protection package contains the anti-theft alarm system with interior monitoring and tow-away protection.